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Catherine Millet
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The Sexual Life of Catherine M. Paperback – April 1, 2003

by Catherine Millet (Author)
3.3 3.3 out of 5 stars 489 ratings
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A national best-seller that was featured on such lists as The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, the San Francisco Chronicle, The Boston Globe, and Publishers Weekly, The Sexual Life of Catherine M. was the controversial sleeper hit of the year. Since her youth, Catherine Millet, the eminent editor of Art Press, has led an extraordinarily active and free sexual life -- from al fresco encounters in Italy to a gang bang on the edge of the Bois du Boulogne to a high-class orgy at a chichi Parisian restaurant. A graphic account of sex stripped of sentiment, of a life of physical gratification and a relentlessly honest look at the consequences -- both liberating and otherwise -- have created this candid, powerful, and deeply intelligent depiction of unfettered sexuality.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    224 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Grove Press
  4. Publication date
    April 1, 2003
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.5 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0802139868
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0802139863
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

The Sexual Life of Catherine M. is "truly a masterpiece of sexual exploration [that] will be a classic"

About the Author

Catherine Millet is editor of the prestigious French art magazine Art Press. She is also the author of eight books of art criticism, including Yves Klein, Le critique d'art s'expose, and L'art contemporain en France. She lives in Paris with her husband.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grove Press; First Trade Paper edition (April 1, 2003)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0802139868
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0802139863
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.5 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.3 3.3 out of 5 stars 489 ratings

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Catherine Millet

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Customer reviews

3.3 out of 5 stars
3.3 out of 5
489 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

F. Orion Pozo
5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderfully detailed memoir of an active sex life.
Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2003
Verified Purchase
Catherine Millet has written a thoughtful memoir of her sexual activities with many people over an indeterminate amount of time.
Predominately she is descriptive of her activities, her partners, and her thoughts and physical feelings. There are no dialogs or regrets, just a straightforward presentation. The book contains a lot of graphic description of sexual acts that may shock some readers. The author does go into quite a bit of abstract intellectual thought about meanings. This can either enhance or distract from the flow of the narrative.
Unlike My Life And Loves by Frank Harris, this book is not a chronological journal. It is arranged into four chapters called Numbers, Space, Confined Space, and Details. In "Numbers" Millet talks about her fondness for many physical relationships. Although she has sexual friendships and lovers, most of her encounters are with anonymous partners. "Space" is a chapter devoted to her joy in making love outdoors. "Confined Space," on the other hand, describes her need to find privacy with her lovers in stairwells, alleys, storerooms, etc. The small intimate facts and observations on lovemaking are saved for the last chapter, "Details."
What I find most interesting is how little else there is in the book to provide background or setting. Only a few locations and the first names of a few men are given. Never are dates provided which gives the work a timelessness like an erotic adult fairy tale.
I found out through other sources that the author was born in 1948, and has been in a monogamous marriage for over ten years. I
needed that much of a setting to make some sense of this work. With the current fear of AIDS and herpes, I found it difficult to imagine a person today engaging so freely in the activities described in this book, and began to think of it as an extremely well-detailed fantasy. However, when I realized that the setting for most of the material was probably the Sexual Revolution of the late 1960s and the 1970s, then I saw this book as the report of an adventurous explorer giving a meticulous account of that time and its unique morality as it worked itself out in her own life.
29 people found this helpful
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Eric Maroney
3.0 out of 5 stars An Elusive Book
Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2016
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The Sexual Life of Catherine M., by Catherine Millet, deploys in its title the subterfuge of the Victorian sex novel, or perhaps a case history by Freud. But the book was written under her real name, informing us that rather than concealing her sexual life, she is really putting it on full display. And she certainly does so, without the least inhibition.

This books contains a number of interesting contradictions and paradoxes. At times, it is simply pornography. Millet relishes titillating her readers, and admits she is excited herself by writing of her exploits. But at the same time as she skims the surface of sexual encounters, she also digs deep into the motivations and drives which brought her to a life of nearly pure, unquestioning sexual acceptance. She will do nearly anything, with anyone, at any time. She venerates this stance as a form of ultimate freedom, even as she often describes it as a kind of subjugation.

Her kind of adoration of the flesh is akin to mysticism. Several times Millet explains how her encounters with the flesh of men help her leave her sense of being a fleshed-being. Yet there are dark sides. She tells us she was once beaten into a ditch by a jealous lover. She had an abortion. She contracted a sexually transmitted disease. She admits to not exploring her own pleasure in sex until she was at least thirty – when she had already had scores of sexual encounters. She explores this dark side of pure sexual freedom, but only lightly. For the most part, she has few qualm about her robust drives.

This odd memoir is hard to categorize. Millet reveals much but also conceals a great deal; at the end, it is difficult to form lasting conclusions about this elusive book.
13 people found this helpful
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Sheena
4.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting account of one persons sexuality
Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2014
Verified Purchase
This book is not erotica, it is mainly about sex but it is not written to turn you on. If that's what you are looking for I suggest you find another book to read.
It is written honestly and without regard for what you may think of it or her life or how you may judge her. She writes intelligently and with humour about herself.
It was a great read.
11 people found this helpful
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mb
1.0 out of 5 stars dull, dull, dull
Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2014
Verified Purchase
What a dull book!...nothing of note except that she was made available in all situations, kind like a ragdoll, with little to no emotion. Nothing erotic, wish I had seen the reviews first. Who cares about a listing of sexual situations with no value. One of the dullest books ever, I threw it in the trash. This actually rates no stars, but I guess I can't do that...
5 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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c
1.0 out of 5 stars Schwachsinn
Reviewed in Germany on January 10, 2019
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Schwachsinn
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zoe
5.0 out of 5 stars Like no other
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 8, 2019
Verified Purchase
A work of eroticism like no other. Sometimes disturbing. Sometimes funny. Often arousing. And definitely thought-provoking. A worthy read for anyone interested in sex and sexuality.
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S C WADE
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 17, 2019
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Interesting
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Bill Bob.
4.0 out of 5 stars Not Simply About Sex. - Be prepared to ask yourself questions.
Reviewed in Canada on July 15, 2014
Verified Purchase
Please do not think this is solely a sex book. It is a serious story from a woman who gives thought about her sexual expression. You may not appreciate the thought, but I guarantee you will come away with a different opinion about sexual expression. Her artistic sensitivity aside, the thought pattern which allows (pushes ... forces ... obligates) her actions is fascinating in and of itself. If you wish to understand a little of your own personal libidinous motivations, well then, this book may be an excellent place to begin. However it will require you to ponder and ask and answer deep personal questions. Self knowledge is important and enjoyable.
One person found this helpful
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N. DAVIES
3.0 out of 5 stars Sex, not love
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 9, 2008
Verified Purchase
This is a compelling read of the most promiscuous of lives a woman could lead. Catherine has no sexual boundaries. She tries everything. Her objective is to make herself available to any man, even strangers, to experience everything. The extremes are disturbing, including insisting on anal sex on one occasion because at the time she had venereal disease. Pornographic, scatalogical, there's no limits. A meandering list of anecdotes rather than a cohesive tale. And no romance, affection or love.
6 people found this helpful
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